Speed responsive signal devices



July 31, 1956 D. R. cAslsKY 2,757,363 SPEED RESPONSIVE SIGNAL DEVICES Filed April 26, 1954 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ciitice 2,757,363 Patented July 31, 1956 2,757,363 SPEED RESPONSIVE SIGNAL DEVICES Donald R. Casisky, Kansas City, Mo. Application April 26, 1954, Serial No. 425,665 3 Claims. (Cl. 340--264) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in speed responsive signal devices, and particularly, the invention concerns itself with devices of this type which may be associated with the speedometer of automobiles or similar vehicles for the purpose of issuing a signal to the operator when a predetermined rate or' speed has been attained, such a signal being in addition to and independent of the usual indication given by the speedometer needle-the position of the latter remaining frequently unnoticed.

Numerous attempts have been made in the past to provide signal devices of this nature, but many of such attempts have not been effective and practical from the production standpoint, since they usually involved a considerable structural rearrangement of the already complex mechanism of the speedometer itself and, in many instances, have even interfered with proper operation and accuracy thereof.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention to provide a simple, durable and highly dependable signal device which, as a unit, may be quickly and easily installed in position between any conventional speedometer and its drive cable and which does not in any way affect or interfere with the structure and operation of the speedometer itself.

Another important object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for manually preadjusting the signal device so that it may become energized at any predetermined rate of speed.

A still further object of the invention is to arrange the structure of the signal device in such manner that the signal issued thereby, be it visible or audible, is intermittent rather than continuous, whereby to attract attention with a relatively greater degree of persistence, in the sense that it is often a common matter to become accustomed to a continuous signal.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this speciiication proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein corresponding characters of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts and wherein Figure l is an elevational view of the invention in situ between a speedometer and a drive cable and operatively connected to signalling means illustrated diagrammatically;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention per se;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figurefl is a sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of-the line 4 4 in Figure l;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rotor used in the invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the centrifugally actuated contact elements together with its supporting bar; and

Figure 7 is an elevational view of the control used for adjusting the signal device as to the rate of speed at which it becomes energized.

With reference now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the signal device is designated generally by the numeral 10 and, as a unit, is adapted to be interposed between any conventional speedometer 12 and its drive cable 14. In this regard it is to be noted that the speedometer 12 is usually provided with an externally screwthreaded, hollow boss 16 which is intended to receive the end of the cable proper 14a, while a coupling nut 18 on the casing 1417 of the cable is threaded on the outer surface of the boss 16.

The invention embodies in its construction a substantially cylindrical housing 20 having an end wall 22 provided with an axial, outwardly projecting adapter 24 which is hollow and is internally screw-threaded as indicated at 26, so that it may be supportably connected to the boss 16 in place of the cable nut 18. The other end of the housing 2l) is provided with a removable cover 28 carrying an externally threaded adapter bushing 30 to which the coupling nut 18 of the cable 14 may be connected.

A shaft 32, disposed axially in the housing 22 is rotatably journalled in the adapter 24 and bushing 30, one end of this shaft being provided with a polygonal portion 34 which is adapted to operatively engage the usual polygonal bore of the driving spindle (not shown) of the speedometer 12. The other end of the shaft 32 is provided with a polygonal bore 36 adapted to receive the usual polygonal end portion of the cable 14a.

lt will be apparent from the foregoing that when the device 10 is interposed between the speedometer 12 and the cable 14, it is not only supported in position thereby, but the shaft 32 of the device establishes an operative connection between the cable 14 and the speedometer so that the latter is properly driven notwithstanding the presence of the device 10 in the drive line.

A rotor 38 is secured to the shaft 32 for rotation therewith and has the periphery thereof provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, concave recesses 40. A plurality of sustantially cylindrical contact elements 42 are mounted on the periphery of the rotor in a manner presently to be described, and are movable radially outwardly from the ugal force when the rotor is in motion. In their initial, retracted position the elements 42 are disposed so that they are partly accommodated in the respective recesses 40, as it best shown in Figure 3.

Each of the elements 42 is attached to the rotor 38 by a resilient arcuate bar 44, one end of which is secured to the rotor by a screw 46 while the other end of the bar is disposed in a slot or kerf 48 of the element 42 and is secured therein by a set screw 50. The resiliency of the bars 44 is such as to urge the elements 42 into the recesses 40, but at the same time, the elements are of such weight that they move outwardly by centrifugal force against the action or resiliency of the bars when the rotor is in motion.

The side wall of the housing 20 is provided with an elongated opening 52 having a cover plate 54 extending thereover and attached to the housing by suitable screws 56, and an elongated contact member or strip 58 of resilient material is secured to the inside of the cover plate by a screw 60 extending through one end of the memberrotor under the iniiuence of centrif- 54 in any conventional manner@ strip 62 is provided between the point will' be reached when the elements 42 come in cont'a'ct with the free end portion of' the member 58', that is, when the rotor attains a predetermined rate of speed. It will be also apparent that the rate of speed. at which the relements 42 come in contact with the member 5S may be varied by increasing or decreasing the distance Vof the free end portion of the member 53 from the axis of the rotor. The means provided for effecting this adjustment will be hereinafter described.

With reference now to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the housing 22 is electrically grounded as indicated at 62, while the terminal 60 is connected by a conductor 64` to a relay 66. The latter is in circuit with al source of current such as a battery and is also in circuit with one or more signalling means, such as for example, a signal lamp 70 and a buzzer 72. These may be conveniently mounted in the vehicle in which the invention is used. The lamp 70, the buzzer 72 and the battery 68 are also grounded as indicated at 74, 76 and 78, respectively, and when the invention is in use and the rotor 38 attains a predetermined rate of speed, the elements 42 engaging the contact member S8 will complete the' circuit through the relay 66 and thereby cause the lamp 70 and the buzzer 72 to be energized. If desired, a switch 80 may be interposed between the buzzer 72 and the ground 76' so that the buzzer may remain inoperative while the lamp 70 alone is energized.

inasmuch as the elements 42 are spaced circumferentially on the periphery of the rotor, they will contact the member 53 in a successive rather than continuous manner andl accordingly, the signal lamp and buzzer will be energized intermittently whereby to persistently attract attention as long as a predetermined rate of speed has been attained or is being exceeded.

The aforementioned means for preadjusting the device as to the rate of speed at which it becomes responsive consist of a pin 82 which is slidably mounted in an apertured boss S4 on the cover plate 54 and has its outer end in engagement with a cam 86. The latter is secured to one end' of a flexible cable S3 contained in a flexible casing 90, the end portion of the casing 90` adjacent the cam 86 being mounted in a saddle or bracket 92 aixed' to the cover plate 54.

The other end of the casing 90 is attached by a coupling nut 94' to a. screw-threaded mounting sleeve 96 of a speedsetting dial 98, the sleeve 96 also being provided with a clamp 100 whereby the dial may be secured to a suitable support, such as for example, an instrument panel. A pointer 102, movable over suitable. graduations 104 on thedial 98, is secured to the cable 88 and is provided with a hand knob 106 whereby both the pointer and the cable may be rotated. Rotation of the cable 88 causes the cam 86. to actuate the pin 82 which, in turn, either presses the contact member 58' towardV the rotor 38 or permits` it to shift away therefrom by its inherent resiliency, depending on in which direction the cable 88 is. turned. In either event, the distance` of the free end portion of the member 58 from the contact elements 42 may be adjusted as desired, so that the signal device becomes responsive to. any predetermined rate of speed.

With further reference to the forementioned saddle 92, examination of Figure 4 will reveal that they cam 86 is provided at one end of a bushing S which is rotatably mounted in a substantially tubular portion 92a of the saddle and has the end portion of the cable 88 secured therein. The adjacent end of the casing 90 is secured in the portion 92a of the saddle by a set screw 110.

Although in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Accordingly,

it is not desired to limit the scope of the invention to the disclosure, but various modifications may be resorted to, such as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A speed responsive signal device comprising a housing, a rotor mounted in said housing and adapted to be operatively connected to a speedometer cable, a relatively stationary electrical contact member provided in said housing at a point spaced radially outwardly from the rotor, electrical signallingy means in open` circuit with said contact member and said rotor, and a plurality of contact elements mounted at circumferentially spaced points on the periphery of said rotor and movable radially outwardly therefrom under influence of centrifugal force when the rotor is in motion, said contact elements being successively operatively engageable with said contact member to intermittently close the circuit toy said signalling means when the rotor attains a predetermined rate of speed.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said contact member is adjustable radially toward and away from said contact elements, and manual means for adjusting said contact member to a predetermined position.

3. A speed responsive signal device comprising a substantially cylindrical housing having a lateral wall provided with an aperture, a rotatable drive shaft disposed. axially in said housing, a rotor secured to said drive shaft and having its circumferential portion provided with a plurality of spaced recesses, a plurality of arcuate resilient bars secured at one end thereof to portionsl of said rotor between said recesses, a plurality ofv contact elements provided at the free ends of the respective bars and normally disposed in the respective recesses, said contact elements being movable under the influence of centrifugal force radially outwardly from said. recesses against the resiliency of said bars when, said rotor is in motion, an insulated resilient contact strip secured at one end thereof to the inside of said lateral wall of said housing and havingl a free end portion. extendingA over said' aperture, electric signalling means in normally open circuitl with said contact strip and with said rotor, the free end portion of said contact strip being engageable individually and successively by said contact elements when the latter are moved outwardly from said recesses by centrifugal force, whereby the circuit to said signalling means is intermittently closed and the signalling means are intermittently energized, a bracket secured to the outside of said lateral wall of said housing, an adjusting shaft rotatable in saidV bracket, a cam secured to said adjusting shaft, and a pin slidable radially inwardly andvk outwardly in the aperture of said lateral wall, the outer end of said pin being in operative engagement with said cam and the inner end of the pin operatively engaging the free end portion of said contact strip, whereby the latter maybe moved radially inwardly and outwardly toward and away from said contact elements to Vary the rate of speed at which said elements are engaged with said contact strip.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITEDy STATES PATENTS 1,573,638 Evelyn Feb. 16, 1926 1,634,069 Cordray June 28,. 1927 2,054,508 McComb Sept. l5, 1.936

2,079,539 White et al. May 4, 19,37

2,134,028A Caldwell Oct. 25., 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 528,000 Great Britain 7---- Oct'. 21,. 19.40.` 

